Outboard motor



.March 23 ,1926.- 1,577,865,

J. A. MOULD OUTBOARD MOTOR Filed March 5, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ORNEY.S

March 23 1926.

J. A. MOULD OUTBOARD MOTOR F'iled March 5, 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. 61.

Patented Mar. 23, 1926.

UNITED STATES 1,577,865 PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES A. MOULD, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO EVINRUDE MOTOR COM- PANY, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

OUTBOARD MOTOR;

Application filed March 5, 1923. Serial No. 622,740.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMES A. MoULD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, county of Milwaukee, and State of lVisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Outboard Motors, of which 7 the following is a specification.

shaft is enclosed Within a tubular housing.

which supports a submerged gearhousing, wherein a propeller shaft is journaled. A tiller is connected with the tubular shaft 1 housing through a latch mechanism such that thet-iller may be used to oscillate the housing through the latch mechanism to direct the propeller from side to side for steering purposes. Vhen a reversal of the direction of propeller thrust is desired, the latch mechanism is released and the dirigible tubular shaft housing is allowed to make a turn of 180 and is re-engaged by the latch for steering purposes.

In mechanisms which have frequently been constructed along the lines suggested above, the torque of the driving gear, continuously exerted through the dirigible shaft housing during engine operation, has been relied upon to maintain said housing against movement in one direction with respect to the latch. In the other direction the latch has provided a positive stop. When the motor has ceased to operate, however, the torque referred to above has been inoperative, and as a result, little or no steering of the craft has been possible subsequent to the stoppage of the engine. Undersuch con-. ditions a rudder blade movable with the dirigib e housing and propeller would be of no avail, since as long as the engine is in operation, the propeller is dirigible and its thrust is used for steering, and when the engine is at rest there is no operable connection between the tiller and the dirigible subme ged parts.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a rudder blade upon the diriglble housing which carries the propeller shaft. In order to make the rudder available for steering when the engine and propeller are at rest, it is further contemplated to provide a positively acting latch for re leasably engaging the dirigible shaft housing with the tiller and locking these parts against relative rotation in either direction.

Broadly stated,,it is the primary object of this invention to provide in an outboard motor of the type described a positively acting releasable latch mechanism adapted normally to connect the tiller to the dirigi= ble submerged parts of the motor in such a way that; steering is possible, as long as steel-age way exists, even though the engine ls'at rest.

It is a further important object of'tliis invention to provide for an outboard motor a bracket mounting so designed as to permit the submerged parts'of the motor to swing upwardly about the bracket when a submerged obstruction is encountered, and to which will be rigidly connected with the motor for steering purposes but will be hinged upon a transverse horizontal axis s6 that it may substantiallyretain its normal position during the tilting of the motor as aforesaid. Incidentally to the above stated object, it is also an object of this invention to provide in a tiller hingedly connected .with an outboard motor, a latch controlling mechanism,,operable in" any position of the which the reversal of the propeller and rudder is controlled.

In the drawings:

7 Figure 1 is a sectional view taken on line 1--1 of Figure 2 and illustrating the,

'provide in such a construction a novel tiller I tiller to effect the release of the latch by Figure 6 IS a section taken on line 6+6 I of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a section taken on 1me'7'-7 ofxFigure 6.

cludes a crank case 10, cylinders 11, and fly wheel 12. The fly wheel is mounted upon a crank shaft 9 which leads downwardly,- as disclosed in said patent, through a dirigible shaft housing :13 to a submersible gears housing 14, wherein suitable gearing connects the crank shaft with a propeller shaft upon which the propeller 15 is mounted.

Gonstructional details which are fully shown in the Evinrude patent named above, and which are unnecessary to an understanding of the present invention, have been omitted from the drawings herein in order to simplify the disclosure. The bracket 16 is adapted to support the entire motor including the internal combustion engine, driving connections, and propulsion mechanism from the stern or transom of a row boat or other small craft. The bracket is provided with spaced arms 17 and 18, the latter of which is elongated to extend downwardly outside of the transom to a point adjacent the water line. A set screw 19 in the shorter arm 17 of the bracket may be turned up to engage the transom of a boat with a clamping pressure.

Immediately beneath crank case 10 is a. casing 22 which houses latch mechanism forming an important part of this invention and hereinafter to be described in detail. The casing 22 is preferably secured by bolts to the crank case 10, or is'otherwise made fast thereto. A sleeve 23 extends downwardly from the latch casing 22 and is J eral flange 33 of the-bearing sleeve is 1n and propulsion mechanism may be oscilldted supporting relation to the shoulder 34 of the sleeve 23 which is integral with the latch casing 22. Thus, the bearing between shoulder 34 and the peripheral flange 33 of the two-part bearing sleeve 24 carries the entire weight of the engine and propulsionmechanism. Upon this bearing the engine as a unit upon the axisof bearing sleeve 24 for steering purposes. The dirigible tubular housing 13 for the downwardly extended crank shaft 9 is rigidly connected with the menace submersible gear housing 14 in which the propeller shaftis journaled. Thus, when the engine and related parts are oscillated in 7 bearing sleeve 24, the direction of the thrust of propeller 15 is angularly adjusted and efiects the steering of the craft to which the motor is attached. Steering is further facilitated by "the webs or fins 35 which are pref-' erably integral with the submersible gear housing 14 and comprise a rudder dirigible with said housing.

The latch mechanism releasably connecting the tiller with the dirigible tubular housing 13, and the attached submersible gear housing 14 and rudder 35 will now be described.

The dirigible tubular housing 13 extends dogs are engageable to effect the latching operation.

In the construction shown in Figures 1, 4, and 5,. the dogs 40 and 41, pivoted respectively to latch casing 22 upon pins 42 and 43, are used. The direction of rotation of crank shaft 9 is indicatedby an arrow in Figure 1, and this arrow also indicates the direction of application of torque to th dirigible shaft housing 13' and to the annulus 36 during suchperiods' as the internal combustion engine which drives thecrank shaft 9 is operative. This torque is opposed therefore by the dog 40, the shoulder 44 of which may be engaged with either of the lugs 39 to oppose the rotation of annulus 36 or the shaft housing and related parts. In the position in which they are shown in the drawings, the thrust of the propeller is exerted rearwardly and the motor is said to be in reverse. If, however, the dog '40 be actuated through mechanism hereinafter to be described, to its releasing position, the

dirigible tube 13 will be allowed independently to rotate 180 before the opposite lug 39 will contact with shoulder 44 of dog 40.

The dog 41 is provided )Vltll a cam face 45 and is shouldered at 46 to seat against one of the lugs 39 opposite to that with which dog 40 is engaged. A spring 47 is compressed in a suitable pocket 48 in the latch casing 22 and serves to maintain dog .41 normally pressed into operative relation to. the lugs with which it is engageable. \Vhen the dirigible shaft housing 13 and annulus 36 are released by latch 40. however, and are in rotation independently of the latch casing 22, each lug will, as it rotates, act upon the cam surface 45 of dog 41 to push said dog outwardly against the compression of spring 47 sufliciently to permit the lugs to pass shoulder 46. -Dog 41 acts automatically, therefore, as a pawl to eggage either lug and to prevent any relative rotation between the annulus 36 .and casing 22 in a direction opposite to that indicated by the arrow. 1

Projecting laterally from the latch casing 22 is a bearing upon the exterior of which is journaled the sleeve 51 of an elbow member 52. The sleeve 53 of the elbow is offset vertically above the sleeve 51 thereof and extends at right angles to sleeve 51. The elbow member 52 is held in place upon bearing 50 by means of a bolt 54 which extends transversely through the latch casing 22 and through the bearing member 50 to the exterior of elbow 52. its free end 55 to receive the bolt 54. A spring 56, centered upon and guided by the bolt, seats against the forked end 55 of pawl 40 and maintains said pawl 40'normally in operative engagement with one of the lugs 39 upon the annulus 36. A sleeve 57, slidable within the bearing 50 and upon bolt 54, serves as a plunger to actuate pawl 40 to releasing position against the compression of spring 56.

The tiller includes a tubular rod which is secured within the arm 53 of elbow 52. The hand grip 61 is rotatable upon rod 60 and is'connected through a cylindrical block '62 with a shaft 63 that extends axially of the tiller. This shaft may conveniently be provided with a bearing 64 adjacent the rear end of the tiller rod 60. The extremity of the shaft 63 carries a lever 65 within the offset portion of elbow 52. The free end of the lever is forked as shown at 66 in Figure 4 and straddles the bolt 54 for engagement with the slidable sleeve 57. The arrangementjs such that when the hand grip 61 is rotated counter-clockwise, as viewed in Figure 1, shaft 63 and lever 65 will be oscillated upon the axis of said shaft and will thereby force the sliding sleeve 57 and the forked end 55 of pawl 40 against the compression of spring 56. The -pawl is thereby moved to releasing position and the lug 39 will be released to permit the dirigible housing 13 and attached parts to rotate continuously in the direction indicated by the ar- Pawl 40 is forked at It will be noted that the mounting of the tiller upon elbow 52, which is rotatably supported from the bearing 50 of latch casing 22, is such as to permit the tiller to move freely in a vertical plane about the transverse axis of said bearing. Since the center of oscillation about which the tiller is movable coincides with the axis of the sliding sleeve 57, it will be obvious that an operative relation will always exist between lever 65 and said sleeve, irrespective of the par ticular position of adjustment in which the tiller may be maintained at the time. It will further bev noticed that no tiller movement in a horizontal plane is possible without a corresponding movement of the latch casing 22. Inasmuch as the latch casing is rigidly connected with the entire engine and is connected through pawls 40 and 41 with the dirigible shaft housing 13, submerged gear casing 14 and related parts, it follows that when the tiller is oscillated from side to side in a horizontal plane, the entire engine and propulsion mechanism of the motor must oscillate within the two-part bearing sleeve.24 which has already been described. If, however, the grip 61 be momentarily rotated upon its axis to cause dog 40 to release the lug .39 with which it is engaged, the dirigible shaft housing 13, together with submerged gear casing 14 and related parts, will rotate independently of the engine and tiller fol-1180 until a second lug 39 comes in contact with the normally positioned dog 40. In this manner the reversal of the motor is accomplished, the re verse] of the thrust of the propeller being brought about by a bodily movement of the propeller to a diametrically opposite position with reference to the housing 13 by means of which the propeller is supported. In Figure 2 the propeller is indicated in full a lines in a position such that it willpropel rearwardly a craft to which this outboard motor is attached. In dotted lines the propeller is shown sition.

As has previously been explained and as can be readily understood, the torque of the crank shaft 9 transmitted through the bevel gearing in the submerged gear housing 14 to the propeller shaft, tends to maintain the propeller shaft and submerged gear housing in rotation upon the axis of the crank shaft. Since the submerged gear housing 14 and the dirigible shaft Housing 13 are rigidly connected, this torque is also transmitted to the shaft housing 13 tending to turn'it in the same direction in which the shaft rotates, to wit, in the direction'dndirated by the arrow in Figure 1;. This torque is continuous during engine operation and tends at all times to maintain one of the lugs 39 in contact with the positive stop provided by the shoulder'44 of dog40.

in its forward-driving po- 5 When the engine is at rest, however, it will readily be appreciated that no force will exist tending to maintain either of the lugs 39 in contact with dog 40 so that if the tiller were moved to the right, as viewed in Figure 1. it would, except for the provision of pawl 41, leave the annulus 36, shaft housing 13, and the rudder motionless and unmoved by the tiller. Pawl 41 ensures that when one of the lugs 39 has once contacted with shoulder 4L4 it will stay there Thereafter, shoulder 4% transmits tiller movements in one direction to the rudder and shoulder 46 transmits tiller movements in the opposite direction to the rudder. A positive latch is thereby provided for connecting the tiller with the rudder, even though the engine be at rest. Equivalent results may be secured in many different ways. Themodified construction illustrated in Figure 3 may be used to replace the construction shown in Figures 1. 4. and 5, if desired.

The annulus 36 in the modified construction may correspond exactly to that shown in the other figure. As illustrated. it is slightl v'modified, but the change in form is regarded as immaterial.

The latch casing 22 is altered to provide a recess' 68 in which the screw-threaded member 69 is rotatable. The bearing 50 corresponds in general to hearing 50 butis disposed at right angles to the posit on of bearing 50. and therefore extends directly forwardly in the normal position of the dirigible parts. The shaft 63 which extends through bearing member 50 has the screwthreaded member 89 keyed to it for rotative movement therewith. ,A set screw 70 threaded in the latch casing 22 bears against the end of shaft 63 and permits wear to be taken up so screw-threaded member 69 will be possible.

The bearing member 50 carries a pair of offset and forwardly projecting ears 72 between which are disposed the forwardly proiecting cars 73 of bearing member 74. :Each of the ears 7 2 of bearing member 50 1s cpnnected to one of the cars 73 of the bearing member "H by pivot pins 75, the two pivotpins being'in transverse axiahahgnment. The shaft 63' is universally ointed at (6 upon the axis of pivot pins :75, and an outer section of the universally jointed shaft finds a bearing in bearing member 74. The grip 61' is mhde fast to the outen end of shaft 63. so that a rotative movement of the grip will be transmitted directly to the threaded member 69 on the inner end of said shaft.

It will be noted that the grip and the outer end of shaft 63 can not be moved in a horizontal plane, either to r ght or left, without correspondingly actuating the latch casing 22. The grip, "however, and the outer end of the shaft 63 are free to be moved in a vertical plane about the axis of pins 75, and

that no axial movement of the at any point of movement in said vertical plane the universal joint at 76 will permit the rotative movement of the grip to be transmitted to the threaded member 69. Thus, steering may be effected through the grip whether the grip be held in a. lowered or in an elevated position, and likewise, reversing may be effected by the rotation of the grip whether the grip be held in an elevated or in a lowered position.

The screw-threaded member 69 will be noted to be provided with a pair of helical threads 7? which are spaced apart sadiciently to receive between them either of the lugs 39 upon annulus 36. These threads terminate flush with the rearwardly disposed plane surface 78 of the member 69 upon which the threads are formed. This plane surface obviously is adaptechto serve as a positive stop against which the lugs 39 may contact, subsequent to their independent rotation during the reversal operation. When a lug ha-s so contacted, the operator can turn the grip 61 sufficiently to feed a lug 39 into the valley between the two threads 77 where it will be engaged upon each side by one of said threads. A lug 39 is shown to be so engaged in Figure 3. Obviously, when so engaged, the lugs serve to lock the annulus 36 positively to the latch casing 22, so that regardless of the directionin which the tiller grip 61 is moved, with respect to annulus 36 and the dirigible parts of the propulsion mechanism. there must always be a positive connection between the tiller and such dirigible parts.

hen'a reversal of the dirigible parts of the propulsion mechanism is desired, the tiller grip 61 is merely given an added rota tion in a clockwise direction, whereby the lug 39 will be fed completely through the threads 77 and will be delivered at the forward side of such threads. Thereafter it will be free to move in the direction indicated by the arrow and the torque existing as aforesaid upon the dirigihle shaft housthe parts to their orlginal positions, the device shown in Figure 3 is such that the grip 61 is always rotated for a partial revolution in a clockwise direction whether it be desired to release one of the lugs 39 or to engage a lug which has just been stopped by face 70 as aforesaid.

It has already been intimated herein that the purpose of providing the pivotal ion application.

of mechanism capable of connecting the submerged parts rigidly to bracket 16 during the periods of reversal in order 'that the thrust of the propeller may not draw it up-.

wardly about the pintle 31 and out of the water. At such times as the motor is not in reverse, the thrust of the propeller will, of course, maintain the submerged parts in contact with the bracket unless an obstruction is encountered, at which times the obstruction will overcome propeller thrust and will throw the propulsion mechanism upwardly out of the way. I

In achieving this construction, wherein the propulsion mechanism is rigidly connected with the bracket during reversal and is released when the motor is operating to drive the craft forwardly, a latch mechanism has been worked out which is disclosed more'particularly in a-eo-pending compan- The mechanism will, however, be briefly described herein in order that the operation ofthis outboard motor may be completely understood. g

The downwardly extending bracket 18 carries adjacent its lower' extremity rearwardly projecting members '80 which are spaced apart and provided at intervals with apertures adapted to receive said screws, whereby a block 81 is adjustable forwardly and rearwardly between said members. The members 80 are preferably arcuate and concentric with pintle 31 about which the operating parts/of the outboard motor are pivotally movable.

Block 81 is provided with a cylindrical bore 82 which extends through it from top to bottom. There is also a port at the rear of the block which is cut throughthe block from top to bottom and enables any member of the diameter of dirigible shaft housing 13 to pass freely into and out of the cylindrical bore 82. The walls of the port, however, are laterally notched, the notches being disposed in staggered relation. There will preferably be at least three such notches. In the embodiment of the invention which -is shownhin the accompanying drawings, an upper notch 83 and a lower notch 84 extend to the left, whereas anintermediate notch 85 extends*" to the right. Excluding such notches from consideration, the rearwardly opening port in block 81 is of barely sufficient size to receive tubular shaft housing 13.

'rearwardly directed thrust of the Mounted upon the tubular shaft housing at a height registering with the notches 83,

84, and 85, respectively, are a series of arcuate lugs 86, 87, and 88. These lugs are of the form clearly shown in Figure 7, wherein the upper lug 86 appears completely in plan. It will be noted that the'lugs project alternately uponopposite sides of the I dirigible shaf t housin 13 so that when one of said lugs 1s broug t, by the rotation-of the shaft housing, into registry with one of the notches in the walls of the port rearwardly opening through block 81, each of the other lugs will-also be in registry with its corresponding notch. \Vhen the lugs are in registry with oneof the laterally extending notches of said port, it will obviously be possible not only to move the dirigible shaft 2 housing 13 through said port but also to move with it the arcuate lugs which it carries. When, on the other hand, the dirigible shaft housing is rotated more than a few degrees in either direction, the result will be to move the arcuate lugs toward the position.

in which theyappear in Figures 6 and 7 of the drawings, wherein it will be clear that they fail to register with the notches to which they are opposite. Obviously, in this position the dirigible shaft housing 13 and all of the propulsion mechanism will be locked to the bracket and incapable of moving about pintle 31.

The arrangement is such that the locking interactionbetween the lugs on the dirigible shaft housing 13 to the walls of the cylindrical bore 82 in lock 81 will only occur when the motor is in reverse. In other /words, when the latch mechanism in latch' casing 22 is released in the manner already described, by a partial rotation of the tiller grip, and when as a consequence of such release the dirigible shaft housing and all of the propulsion mechanism carried thereby is permitted to rotate through 180 for the purpose of effecting a reversal of the motor, the lugs 86, 87 and 88 will be brought by the rotation of shaft housing 13 to a position where they cannot register with notches 83, 85, and 84respectively. .Thereupon, the

propeller, which is 1n the position shown in Figure-2, will be communicated through the shaft housing-13 to the lugs thereon to block 81 i and thence through spaced members 80 to the bracket. WVhen, however, the latch mechanism in latch casing 22 is again released by partial rotation of the tiller, the propeller and dirigible shaft housing will assume the position'indicated in dotted lines in Figure 2, and, by the partial rotation of the shaft housing the lugs thereon will be brought into complete registry with the notches in block 81, and thereafter the shaft housing will be maintained within said block only .by the thrust of the propeller. The entire'mechais such that an angular movement of the tiller through 35 upon either side of its center line is possible without efi'ecting the interlocking of the dirigible shaft housing with block 81.

When the. engine and submersible parts swing upwardly as in encountering a submerged obstacle," it will be obvious that it the tiller were rigidly connected with these dirigible parts it would be forced to travel through a corresponding arc in a vertical plane and might bring the hand of the operator into forcible and undesirable contact with the rear side of the craft to which the outboard motor is attached. To avoid such a possibility, the free vertical movement of the tiller, with respect to the latch casing 22 which has already been described, is provided. It will be remembered that in both of the alternative constructions which are disclosed in Figures 1, 3, 4:, and 5, means is provided whereby the grip can move freely in a vertical plane while retaining an operative connection with the remainder of the device, both for steering purposes and for reversal. It is impossible, therefore, for the engine and propulsion-mechanism, in oscillating about the pintle 31 by which it is connected to the bracket, to affect in any way the position of the tiller which will at times be independently within the control of the operators hand and will take this position from the position of said hand.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described,

'0' the combination with a dirigible part and .4 5

a shaft housing independently rotatable concentrically with said part for reversing purposes, of a manually releasable dog engageable with said shaft housing to secure it against rotation in one direction with respect to said part and an automatically en- ,gageable dog 0 posed to said manually re.-

leasable dog an adapted to secure said shaft housin 7 against rotation in the other direction with respect to said part.

2. In a device of the character described,

the combination with a dirigible part and a tiller connected therewith and having a portion mounted for independent movement, of

.a shaft housing independently rotatable conoentrically with said part andprovided with revises an outstandinglug, a dog pivotally mounted on said part and operatively connected with the independently movable portion of said tiller whereby said dog may be oscillated by I said tiller portion, a spring n0rmally ma1ntaining said dog in the path of said lug wherebyto prevent relative rotation of said shaft housing in one directionwith respect to said part, said dog being releasable by 3. In an outboard motor having dirigible and reversible submersible parts, the combination with a rotatable member connected with said parts, of a tiller pivotally mount-r I ed for oscillation in a substantially vertical plane, about an axis transverse with respect to the longitudinal extentof said tiller, latch mechanism reversibly connecting, said tiller with said rotatable member, means carried by said tiller for releasing said latch mechanism, and motion, transmitting connections between said means and said latch mechanism and arranged to be unafiected by the oscillation of the tiller about said axis.

i. In an outboard motor having dirigible and reversible submersible parts, the combination with such parts, of a member connected for movement therewith, opposltely projecting lugs upon said member, a spring pressed dog normally disposed in the path of movement of said lugs, a substantially horizontal dog actuating member, whereby said dog is movable to a lag releasing position. a tiller adjustable about an axis including said dog actuating member, a lever fulcrumedupon an axis otlset from the axis upon which said tiller is adjustable, a portion of said lever being in motion transmitting relation to said dog actuating member, and means carried by said tiller for oscillating said lever upon its fulcrum, whereby said dog may be actuated to lug releasing position irrespective of the position of adjustment of said tiller.

5. In an outboard motor the combination with a bracket, of a frame member supported therefrom for oscillation about an upright axis, a housing member extending downwardly from said frame member and movable independentlyethereof; propulsion and steering devices supported from said housing member and connected thereto for movement therewith. a tiller member hingedly connected with saidframe member for independent oscillation in a vertical plane and positively connected with said I lOO frame member for simultaneous oscillation therewith about the axis of said frame memher, latch mechanism for releasably engaging said framemember withsaid housing, and means associated with said tiller member for effecting a release of said latch mechanism.

6. An outboard motor including the combination with a bracket, a bearing member pivoted thereto upon a transverse axis, a frame member supported fromthe' bearing member and rotatable thereon on an axis substantially at. right angles to saidfirst mentioned axis, a housing rotatable independently of said frame member upon an axis parallel to the axis thereof, propulsion mechanism supported from said housing and dirigible therewith, a tiller hingedly .connected with said frame member for independent movement about a transverse axis,

' latch mechanism for releasably engaging said member with said housing, and manually operable means associated with said tiller for effecting the release of saidlatch mechanism, said means being operablein any position-of adjustment of said tiller about its transverse axis.

7. In an outboard motor including the combination of a bracket, of a frame member supported from said bracket and oscilright axis thereof, motion transmitting con-.

nections extending through said housing between said engine and said propulsion mechanism, .a tiller. connected with said frame member for the oscillation thereof upon its normally upright-axis, and latch mechanism releasably connecting said frame member with said housing against relative movement in either direction. I l

8. In an outboard motor including the combination with a bracket, of a frame memher supported from said bracket and oscillatable about a transverse horizontal axis and a normally upright axis substantially at right angles to said transverse axis, a housing rotatably adjustable independently of Saidframe memberupon the normally upright axis thereof, propulsion mechanism supported from said housing, an enginesupported from said frame. member and adapted to oscillate therewith upon the normally upright axis thereof, motion transmitting connections extending through said housing between said engineand said propulsion mechanism, at1ller connected with said frame member for the oscillation thereof upon its "(4 normally upright axis, and latch mechanism releasably connecting said frame member with said housing, said tiller including a. grip portion adjustable in a vertical plane independently ofsaidframemember together with means operably connecting said grip portion with said latch mechanism for the manual release thereof.

9. An outboard motor including the conibi nation with a bracket, of a frame member supported from said bracket and mounted for oscillation upon a transverse and substantially horizontal axis and upon a nor mally. upright axis substantially at right angles to said transverse axis, an internal combustion engine cylinder supported from said frame member and movable therewith,

a housing extending downwardly from said frame member and independently rotatable with respect thereto, propulsion mechanism supported from said housing and dirigible therewith, a drive, shaft extending through said housing to said propulsion mechanism and provided with a crank in registry with said cylinder, interlocking mechanism carried by said housing and by said bracket and arranged for engagement in one range of positions ofrotation of said housing and for release in a second range of positions of said housing, a tiller having a grip portion hingedly adjustable upon a transverse axis and connected with said frame member for oscillation therewith upon the normally upright axis thereof, latch mechanism within said frame member adapted to releasably en- 1m) gage the frame member ,with said housing, and latch actuating mechanism extending operatively along said tiller to the grip portion thereof.-

10. An outboard motor including a frame 7 member mounted for oscillation upon a normally upright axis, a housing member ex tending downwardly from said frame men1- her and independently rotatable with respect thereto, propulsion and steering (leno vices'supported from said housing and dirigible therewith, a tiller connected with said frame member for effecting the oscillation thereof upon its axis, a latch element connected with one of said members, and complementary latch elements connected with A the other of said members and adapted to engage said first mentioned latch clement upon both sides thereof, one of said latch elements being 'retractible whcrebv to permit me many, upright housing, propulsion mechanism supported therefrom and dirigible therewith, a tiller supported for oscillation co-axially with said housing, and means for releasablylatching together said tiller and housing against relative movement in either direction. a r

12. An outboard motor including a housing rotatably adjustable upon its axis, a propulsion device supported from saidhousing and dirigible therewith, a tiller having a grip port-ion adjustable in an upright plane. about a horizontal axis, latch mechanism operable to effect a positive twowvay connection between said tiller and said housing, and a latch releasing device extendingfrom said latch mechanism along said tiller to the grip portion therot'. w

13. In an outboard motor the combination with a rotatably adjustable housing and a propulsion device supported therefrom, of a manually dirigible member mounted for oscillation co-axially with said housing, and a manually releasable lock associated with said di rigible member and adapted in a plurality of positions of said housing to lock said memberto said housing against relative movement in either direction.

14. In an outboard motor the combination with a-normally upright shaft housing providing a plurality oi radially projecting lugs, of a manually rotatable casing adjustable co-axially with saidhousing, manually actuatable means within said casing tor releasably engaging said lugs upon opposite sides, whereby when said means isv operative said casing will be locked to said housing against relativemovement in either direction.

15. ln' an outboard motor the combination with a rotatably adjustable housing, a sub-,

mersible propulsion mechanism and steering fins supported therefrom, of a casing manu-,

ally rotatable co-axially with said housing, a plurality of radially projectinglugs within the casing, a set of opposed dogs pivotally mounted within said casingand normally spring pressed into the path of said lugs, and means for manually actuating one of said dogs to" releasing position.

16. In an outboard motor the combination with a housing provided with lugs and rotatable upon its axis and a submersible propulsion device and steering fin supported from said housing anddirigible therewith, of a tiller mounted for oscillation co-axially with said housing, dogs pivotally connected with said tiller and oppositely disposed with reference to said lugs, means normally pressing the extremities of said dogs into the path of said lugs, said dogs being adapted to oppose lug movement in opposite directions, and means associated gith said-tiller for manually releasing said ogs.

17. In an outboard motor the combination with a housingrotatable upon its axis and a submersible propulsion device and steering fin supported from said housing and dirigibio therewith, 0f: lugs projecting radially amassefrom said housing, a tiller mounted for oscillation co-axially with said housing, dogs pivotally connected with said tiller and oppositely disposed with reference to said lugs, means normally pressing the extremi ties. of'said dogs into the path of said lugs, said dogs being adapted to oppose .lug movement in opposite directions, and means associated with said tiller for manually reeasing and adapted tor oppose relative movement between the casing and the lugs in a direction opposite to that of the relative movement opposed by said dog, a member slidable through said casing to engagement with a portion of said (log, a tiller connected with said casing, rotatable means associated with said tiller, and motion transmitting connections adapted to transmit the rotation otsaid last mentioned means into reciprocatory movement of said member slidable in the casing, whereby said dog may be actuated to releasing position.

19. In an outboard motor the combination with a housing oscillatory upon its axis for steering purposes and rotatable for reversing purposes, of a casing enclosing a portion of said member, latch mechanism adapt- 'ed releasably to connect said casing with said member, a bearing sleeve rojecting laterally from said casing, a til er device journaled upon said sleeve for adjustment in a vertical plane, a push rod reci rocable within said sleeve and connected with said latch mechanism for the control thereof, and a" rotatable shaft associated with said tiller and provided with a lever operativel'y associated with said reciprocable rod irretiller." h

20. In an outboard motor thecombination with a member rotatable upon its axis for reverse of said motor and oscillatory upon its axis for the steering thereof, of a manually dirigible casing, latch mechanism therein adapted to ,efiecta releasable enga ement between said casing and said mem er, a bearing sleeve projecting laterally from said casing, a tiller having an elbowed portion spective otthe position of adjiistment'of said .journaled upon said sleeve, a rod extending through said elbowed portion and said sleeve and adapted to confine the tiller to its place upon said sleeve, a reciprocable sleeve disposed within the first mentioned sleeve and concentric with said rod, a shaft sleeve, and. a tiller grip connected with said shaft, whereby the rotation of said tiller grip is adapted to effect the reciprocation of said sleeve and the release of said latching mechanism.

21. In an outboard motor the combination with a steering and reversing member, a lug carried by said member, a casing adjustable co-axlally with said member, a dog pivoted within said casing and provided with a portion movable into the path of said lug, said dog being provided with a forked extremity, a bearing sleeve projecting laterally from said casing, an elbowed tiller device journaled upon said sleeve, a rod extending through said casing and through said sleeve and the elbow of the tiller, a reciprocable sleeve guided within the bearing sleeve and slidable upon said rod in engagement with the forked end of said dog, a spring guided upon said rod and seated atone end against the side of the dog opposite to that engaged by said reciprocable sleeve, a shaft mounted within the tiller with its axis offset from the axis of said reciprocable sleeve, a lever carried by said shaft and provided with a forked end including said rod and including said reciprocable sleeve, and manually operable means adjacent the end of said tiller for rotating said shaft, whereby the movement of said dog "to releasing position may be effected.

JAMES A. MOULD. 

